SMS Texting & WIFI Calling

TuckerFeedback wrote:

There is no Cell Service at my home. I use Starlink and WiFi Calling to communicate on my phone when home.

Why can’t I text my friend’s who have Samsung or non-Apple phones? Do I have to switch to a ‘Non-Locked’ (Non-Apple/ Non-Arrogant) service to have these friends? I am very close to dropping Apple. I think it is emblematic of a broader problem.

You can go with an Android if you choose, but you're going to run into the same issue since you have no cellular service to send text message.

You should drop your cellular data provider.

If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

SMS texting is a cellular service, requiring the proximity of a cell tower that associates with your mobile service provider.

For texting over the internet, you would have to use some app that supports a different protocol. Apple uses iMessage (between Apple devices, with regular SMS as fallback for incompatible devices), WhatsApp uses WhatsApp messaging. Telegram, Signal, Kik, BiP, etc. are other options. Find some service that you and your peers are all willing to use. [Samsung phones have Android Messages, for online texting as well as cellular, but I believe the receiver would also need to have that same app for the online use.]

For WiFi Calling, many of these same apps can be used among various platforms. Also see: Talkatone, Google Duo, Skype, TextNow, Text Free. Some are US & Canada-only, but that may suffice for some users.